Indian health care is at a pivotal juncture. With disease profiles becoming complex, the need to address the challenge with new solution has become colossal. Advanced therapies like cell and gene therapies (CGTs), including CAR-T cell therapies, gene editing and regenerative biologics, offer hope for such conditions that were once deemed untreatable. However, these therapies cannot be produced using traditional pharmaceutical approaches. They are biologically intricate, highly customised and rely heavily on coordinated clinical expertise. Reflecting this momentum, India’s CGT market was valued at approximately $ 710.9 million in 2024, and it is projected to grow steadily at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 15% through 2033, reaching an estimated $ 2.51 billion. To fully realise this potential, the next critical step lies in the convergence of healthcare providers and biotech firms. It will create systems where hospitals, biotech innovators, regulators and manufacturers can collaborate to develop, deliver and expand advanced therapies.
Advanced therapies like CGT cannot thrive in traditional healthcare models based on transactions. Their complexity and personalised nature require shared responsibility for patient outcomes, common incentives, and strong coordination throughout the care process. The partnership between providers and biotech firms allows hospitals, academic centers and biotech companies to work together on research and development. It helps align manufacturing with clinical delivery via co-located or closely integrated GMP facilities. They can also use shared data systems to create real-world evidence. This connected approach reduces turnaround times, improves quality and safety, and supports care models that focus on long-term patient benefits.
India is in a great position to take charge of this convergence. It has strong clinical skills, a talented workforce in bioprocessing and engineering, and a rising wave of homegrown innovation. Top-tier care centres with expertise in oncology, haematology, and transplants offer a solid clinical base. Investments in local manufacturing and achievements like India’s access to global quality CAR-T therapy show the country’s ability to ensure access of such advanced therapies at much lower costs. Supportive regulations and focused public funding for precision biotherapeutics strengthen the ecosystem. This creates a chance for India to provide advanced therapies on a large scale while making them more affordable and accessible.
Realising the full potential of advanced therapies will require India to move beyond transactional, project-based partnerships to build long-term institutional ecosystems. This means developing integrated clinical and manufacturing hubs where patient care, good manufacturing practices and regulatory support work closely together. This will reduce complexity and speed up the process from lab research to patient treatment.
Equally important is creating joint research platforms that connect hospitals, biotech companies, and research institutions for ongoing collaborations. These partnerships should co-design clinical trials, simplify regulatory pathways, and standardise how outcomes are measured. Strengthening the ecosystem also requires focused workforce development through interdisciplinary training in clinical sciences, bioprocess engineering, quality systems, and health data science. Additionally, it’s important to test value-based payment models that link reimbursement to long-term patient outcomes instead of the number of therapies administered.
A strong therapy ecosystem provides benefits that go beyond individual patient outcomes. It boosts national health security by developing domestic resources to handle emerging diseases and biological threats. At the same time, it creates valuable jobs in scientific and technical fields at the forefront of biomedical innovation. These ecosystems attract global partnerships and long-term investments, making India an appealing place for life sciences research, manufacturing, and joint development. Over time, this change can shift India’s role from mainly being a global service provider to a key innovator, offering new solutions to some of the world’s toughest and most pressing medical challenges.
The era of new therapies calls for collaboration, not just between providers and biotech companies, but also across policy, regulations, manufacturing and clinical delivery. India’s strengths in clinical practice, its expanding biotech scene, and strategic investments create a solid foundation for developing comprehensive advanced therapy platforms. These platforms can cover translational research, local manufacturing and care delivery tied to value. By strengthening the ecosystem and a broader approach, India can take the lead in providing next-generation cures affordably and widely.
This article is authored by Amit Mookim, CEO, Immuneel Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd. and member, NATHEALTH.
